Ethics complaint filed against LACC

Thursday

Jul 31, 2014 at 4:55 PM

Just days before the August primary election, a complaint has been filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission against a local organization over a financial contribution to a candidate in the hotly-contested Camden County presiding commissioner race.

Just days before the August primary election, a complaint has been filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission against a local organization over a financial contribution to a candidate in the hotly-contested Camden County presiding commissioner race.

The complaint, filed by Kim Krostue, a member of the Republican Club and Coalition for Better Government, alleges the Lake Area Conservative Club has made expenditures in excess of $500 to candidate Greg Hasty without registering as required by Chapter 130 of Missouri Revised Statutes.

While the ethics commission clearly states that it does not investigate allegations against a candidate or candidate committee within 15 days prior to the election, the complaint is not directed at Hasty or the Committee to Elect Greg Hasty. The Lake Area Conservative Club is a separate entity. In the copy of the complaint obtained by the Lake Sun, it cites Nancy Steward as president of the club and Cliff Luber (Associate Commissioner) as a club board member.

A 24 Hour Notice of Late Contributions filed by the Committee to Elect Greg Hasty notes a $500 contribution on July 28 from the Lake Area Conservative Club based in Camdenton.

Krostue also alleges the club has also paid event and other incidental expenses for Hasty in addition to the $500 contribution.

The race is between challenger Hasty and incumbent Kris Franken, both Republicans.

The Coalition for Better Government is openly opposing Hasty's bid for election.

The ethics commission's policy is to send a copy of the complaint and the complainant’s name to the entity that the complaint is brought against within five days of receipt of the complaint. Statutes require that any Missouri Ethics Commission’s investigation and hearing held related to a complaint remains closed. The final disposition of the complaint is made public.

Investigators for the ethics commission typically take around 90 days to review and compile an investigative report on a complaint, so a complaint filed now against a committee or organization would likely not come before the ethics commission for consideration until September or October.

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